Sunday, March 25, 2012

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ with this week's hostess Miesje, bringing us this verse from Romans :31b-32 "If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"

And her challenge is to create a card or project that uses everything! The opposite of a CAS--toss on the embellishments and/or different papers/textures.

As I have been leaning closer to more CAS cards lately, this was a challenge for me to try to lay it on. I realize I could have used a few more layers, but did use different shapes, impression plates, etc. I had fun creating and that's the big thing.

I am looking forward to reading Miesje's thoughts on her chosen verse. I know that God is lavish with his gifts in my life. I haver the gift of salvation which in itself is a gift beyond measure or comprehension. I honestly derive a great deal of peace in my heart from this knowledge and expression of God's love for me. I also know my three oldest kids have accepted the Lord, another gift. I have a great husband, a huge gift and completely undeserved. I have my health, a home to live in, food on the table, friends, a good church, the breath in my lungs, the sights of Spring unfolding outside, the sunshine, a rainbow the other day, daffodils . . . and the list could go on and on and on. God is like that. He is a loving Father and lavish with his gifts, which I am thinking, might be the inspiration behind Miesje's challenge. We will see! I get to read the devotionals at the same time you do, unless its my turn to be the author!

For my two more 'lavish' creations today I pulled out some SU sets which will not be leaving my inky hands any time soon, regardless of the fact that I don't use them often. One of them is for a sick little girl and will be hitting the mailbox on Monday (guess which on it is!) and the other uses more muted pink tones with fine linen.

We look forward to seeing your own lovely creations in the gallery. Thanks for looking and have a blessed week!

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ. Our hostess this week is MariLynn who has selected this verse from Psalm 104:19 "He made the moon to mark the seasons." With the change of seasons this week, make a card/project showing something related to the new season.

Our sponsor is Taylored Expressions and one lucky winner will receive a beautiful new set introduced recently, Faith in Bloom.

This has been the strangest seasonal change I think we've experienced yet. Almost a week ago it was 77 degrees . . . in northern Michigan. We don't even see it that warm in May usually, or even early June. Yet here it was mid-March and warm enough to walk barefoot on the beach. I have to admit, I am enjoying the sunshine and the budding trees more than I would the usual blowing snow and freezing temperatures we would normally still be experiencing.

I think part of the reason is that Spring is a time when everything seems to come alive. The crocuses are blooming, daffodils are pushing their way up through the ground and the trees all have that fine green misty look that is the precursor of budding leaves. I see God's handiwork everywhere I look and it is amazing to me to watch those tiny leaves unfurl. Nothing I could do could ever make that happen. God controls the seasons, the springtime and the winter that precedes it that helps us appreciate the green colors and warmer temperatures so much more. Thanks for looking and we hope to see your creations in the gallery.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

I don't feel as though I use bold colors well and decided the best way to practice was to CASE a color scheme and layout, changing the stamps used. I need to watch the budget and use what I already own a bit more anyway. Nichole Heady had a card using this layout and this color scheme a few days ago and I found it intriguing, so decided to try it out.

I used Berry Sorbet sponged with SU's pink passion around the edges for two panels. A favorite SU background stamp, with the open feel and dotted flower centers served for the back panel and I decided to see what the sunflower set looks like stamped in pink passion and spiced marmalade. I experimented with a bunch of different green inks and papers to get the color combination I wanted, this uses SU's glorious green on PTI new leaf cardstock. I never used that color green very much, it was often too bold, but in this case, I think it works.

I might want to try this same idea using blues. Anyway, thanks for looking, have a great day!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ. This week's hostess is wonderful Miesje, who selected this verse from Ephesians 5:8-9 "You were once darkness but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth."

Her challenge this week is for you to create a card or project that uses both dark and light. Opposite colors; black/white, brown/ivory, deep blue/baby blue, red/pink etc. And our sponsor this week is Pizzazz Aplenty, with so many cool items in her store to bling up your creations. One randomly selected winner will receive a $10surprise package of goodies from her store. Now, just a short note here, the owner is having knee surgery so it might take a bit for her to respond, but sit tight and it will be sent out.

For my card I chose to use brown and ivory or cream colored cardstock. It seemed to go pretty well with the coffee cup themed set I own from Papertrey Ink. I used my corrugator and a texture folder from cuttlebug for some patterns I have seen on coffee cups or coffee cup cuffs. I used some paper that had a little bit of blue in it, it just seemed to need it. And I used a sentiment "miss you" from a different set, stamped within the coffee cups themselves; I'll be sending this to one of my kids.

Please check out the home page to read Miesje's thoughts on this verse and to view the creations by the rest of the design team, here. We look forward to seeing your creations in the gallery. HAve a blessed week!

The sketch I found at Tuesday Morning Sketches, a new blog to me, but this is sketch 136 so obviously they've been around a bit longer than SSIC. :) Thanks for looking!

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ, where our challenges are all based on scripture. This week's hostess is Kris, who selected this verse from Psalm 91:4a "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge." Her challenge is to create Things with Wings (Images of birds. angels, butterflies, other things with wings).

I used an image from this week's sponsor, the Digi Doodle Shop. You can read more about our sponsor and see the rest of the creations by the design team on our home page right here.

Thanks for looking and we look forward to all the 'winged' creations we will see in the gallery created by you!

Welcome

Welcome to "Roses by my Window,” a place where I can share my creative journey and hopefully add a little beauty to the world. I love the Lord and love my family. I also knit and bake but here I’ll be sharing cards, trying new stamping techniques and attempting to improve even a wee bit each time I hit the craft table. Thanks for stopping to have a look!